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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Ewan Somerville

Wales eases lockdown by reopening garden centres and libraries and relaxing exercise rules

Wales has taken the first step to easing lockdown by relaxing exercise rules and reopening some libraries, tips and garden centres.

First Minister Mark Drakeford announced the relaxed measures on Thursday, but extended all other stay-at-home rules for another three weeks.

It comes as Boris Johnson prepares to announce the UK-wide roadmap for the next phase of the shut down on Monday.

But Cabinet minister Oliver Dowden said on Friday that Brits should only expect "limited changes" to the rules.

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford announced the relaxed rules (PA)

In an apparent jump of the gun before Downing Street's announcement, Mr Drakeford said people will be allowed to exercise more than once daily as long as activities start and end at home and avoid travel.

Garden centres can reopen as long as they follow six feet social distancing rules, while local authorities will be urged to plan for safely reopening libraries.

But he warned: “The virus remains a very serious threat to us all and we cannot be complacent in any way. For that reason, the stay-at-home regulations will remain in place in Wales.

Wales has relaxed some lockdown measures (PA)

“Our preference remains a four-nation response to coming out of lockdown, and we remain in consultation with all parts of the UK. Our duty is to the people of Wales, and our decisions will be based on the evidence and specific circumstances of Wales.”

Mr Drakeford said it was for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to decide the steps that would be taken in England.

He added: “I don’t believe that we will see anywhere in the United Kingdom anything other than the most modest of immediate changes.”

Nicola Sturgeon extended Scotland's lockdown on Thursday and said relaxing any restrictions could be "potentially catastrophic".

Mr Johnson will address the nation on Sunday night after he said he wanted to "get going" with firing up the economy from Monday.

Devolved politicians and police chiefs have hit out at Number 10 for "mixed messaging" as officers prepare for a crackdown on revellers breaching rules to sunbathe, have picnics and hold VE Day celebrations over the sunny Bank Holiday weekend.

Ahead of the PM's address to the nation on Sunday, Mr Dowden told the BBC: “Expect limited moves to begin with and then, over time, if those are starting to work, we can start to go further and what we will be doing is setting out the different steps we could take further along the path so people know where we’re going."

A new study has claimed some 400,000 people in Britain are currently infected with Covid-19. Britain passed the grim 30,000 milestone to become the worst-hit nation in Europe earlier this week.

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